Toilet handle lock



Dec. 19, 1967 M R. NOLAN ETAL 3,358,294

TOILET HANDLE LOCK` Filed Sept. l, 1964 l: i JQINVENTQRS ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent O 3,358,294 TOILET HANDLE LOCK Meryl R. Nolan and GaillardR. Nolan, both of 7513 Spring Lake Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20034 FiledSept. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 393,707 1 Claim. (Cl. 4-1) This inventionrelates to movable stops for ush toilet handles. It allows the handlesto be selectively immobilized to prevent the accidental ushing of thetoilet.

It is particularly useful rst in households with small children whomight ush toilets while unsupervised and second in preventing accidentaliiushing while using the toilet bowl to soak soiled diapers.

In the accompanying diagrams FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of atoilets flush handle with the handle lock of the present invention inplace.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of the handle lock in place showing it inthe locking position in heavy lines and in the unlocked position in thedotted lines.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the handle lock as shown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a section of the handle lock taken on lines 4 4 of FIGURE 3.

The lock is composed of three main assemblies: the base 1, the shaft 2,and the body 3. All three elements may advantageously be made ofplastic. The base 1 secures the lock to the wall of the toilet beneaththe handle. Any means of attachment will work but adhesive attachment isthe simplest and is adequate. At the time of manufacture an adhesive maybe applied which will become activated by the purchaser moistening thebase.

Protruding normally from the base and the side of the toilet when thelock is in place is the shaft 2 on which the body 3 rotates. This body,which is a rotatable stop, is formed in a generally rectangular shapewith a hole through the center. This allows the body when in position A,FIG. 2, to immobilize the dush handle and when in position B to allowthe handle to flush the toilet.

A lock washer 4 holds the body 3 on the shaft 2. Also included is meansto retain the body in either position A or B when it is placed in them.Shown is a spring mounted ice plunger 5 which partially ts in slightindentations 6 in the shaft.

While the drawings show a rotatable stop, it is clear that any othertype, for instance a sliding mechanism, would work as well. We do notintend to be limited therefore by the drawings but only by the appendedclaim.

Having described our invention We claim:

A toilet handle lock for selective immobilization of an externallymounted rotatable toilet handle comprising:

(a) a base section having an adhesive backing for attachment to the wallofthe toilet;

(b) a shaft protruding normally from the base, and

having spaced indentations;

(c) a generally rectangular body rotatably mounted on said shaft;

(d) a lock washer holding the body on the shaft;

(e) a spring mounted plunger within said body cooperating with saidindentations to hold the handle in pre-selected positions whereby saidhandle lock when disposed beneath the ilush handle with the body in avertical position immobilizes the ilush handle and when the body is inthe horizontal position it allows the handle to llush the toilet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 617,548 1/1899 Wilson 292-108618,901 1/1899 Hegel 292-108 1,277,754 9/1918 Reed 292-108 1,558,56210/1925 Naylor 292-347 2,331,150 10/1943 Whiting 292-288 2,331,403 10/1943 Leonard 292-340 2,537,380 1/1951 Travis 292-376 2,963,710 12/1960Carter 4-67 3,023,601 3/1962 Luikart et al 292-376 FOREIGN PATENTS705,900 3/ 1954 Great Britain.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner.

